Little's Creamy Caramel Instant: How Infused Coffee Works

Little's Creamy Caramel Instant Coffee: Flavour Without Syrup

The caramel in this jar arrives as smell and taste rather than sugar, and that is what surprises people most. The published ingredient list is two items long: freeze-dried coffee and creamy caramel flavouring.

Published 26 Sep 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

Little's Creamy Caramel Instant Coffee: Flavour Without Syrup, in summary: Little's infuses the caramel into the freeze-dried coffee itself, so the jar gives caramel flavour and aroma without sweetening the cup. Expect a drier drink than a syrup latte, and add sugar only if you want it.

Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in September 2026.

The caramel in this jar arrives as smell and taste rather than sugar, and that is what surprises people most. The published ingredient list is two items long: freeze-dried coffee and creamy caramel flavouring.

Infused granule versus syrup

A caramel syrup carries flavour, sweetens the drink and thickens it slightly, all from one pump. An infused granule does only the first of those jobs. You make it like any instant, a spoonful and hot water, and the caramel is already there in the steam. The sweetness is left to you, so you can have a coffee that tastes of caramel without turning it into a pudding, or add sugar to taste.

Creamy describes the style of caramel rather than an ingredient. It is the soft, buttery, toffee reading of the flavour, not the sharp burnt-sugar note a poor flavouring gives, and it sits on a coffee kept low in bitterness so the two do not fight. Little's lists no major allergen among the 14 for Creamy Caramel, though the jar in your hand always has the final word.

Getting the caramel into the cup

A rounded teaspoon, about 1.8g, per 200ml mug is a good starting dose; the figure is our estimate, not something printed on the jar. The kettle matters more here than with a plain jar. Added flavourings are the most fragile part of the granule, and water at a rolling boil carries the caramel away in the steam. Let the kettle stand for a full minute, aiming for about 90°C, before you pour.

Milk suits it well. Caramel and dairy belong together, and warm milk softens the edges of the flavour without hiding it. You can also blend jars: a half-spoon of this with a half-spoon of your usual instant gives an ordinary coffee with caramel sitting in the background, which is often what people really want from a flavoured jar. Stir well, and taste before any sugar goes in.

Who the small jar suits

Fifty grams is a small jar by instant coffee standards, and for a flavoured coffee it is the right size. Few people want caramel coffee every morning; it is the afternoon jar that sits beside a plain one. Little's is a family company in Devon, started by Henry and Leila Little more than 35 years ago, and it makes every jar in-house at its own factory in Willand.

We stock three Little's jars, all in the 50g size: this one, Rich Hazelnut and French Vanilla. Creamy Caramel is the toffee-scented member of the trio. Choose this one if you like the smell of toffee and want something to go with a digestive in the middle of the afternoon. If you want a plain cup of coffee, reach for a different jar.

The packs we stock

Little's Creamy Caramel Flavour Infused Instant Coffee, 50g (barcode 5034718081018)

What the label says

The published ingredient list for Little's Creamy Caramel Flavour Infused Instant Coffee, 50g names none of the 14 major allergens. Read the current Creamy Caramel jar before buying, as Little's can change the recipe and allergen advice.

Ingredients, as published: Freeze-Dried Coffee, Creamy Caramel Flavouring.

Typical values per 100ml	Per 100ml
Energy	4 kcal
Fat	trace
of which saturates	trace
Carbohydrate	0.7g
of which sugars	0.1g
Protein	0.2g
Salt	trace

Ingredient and nutrition information for this product, as published on the manufacturer's label. Your Creamy Caramel jar has the last word.

What to eat with it

Lotus Biscoff Caramelised Biscuits, 250g: Biscoff doubles up on the toffee note while the coffee itself stays unsweetened.
McVitie's Digestives Biscuits The Light One, 250g: A plain digestive is the natural mid-afternoon partner for a caramel coffee, and the lighter style keeps it easy.
McVitie's Original Hobnobs Biscuits - The Oaty One, 255g: The oaty original is unfussy enough to let a soft, buttery caramel take the lead.
Border Butterscotch Crunch Organic Biscuits, 135g: Butterscotch against creamy caramel is a like-for-like match for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Elsewhere in the Little's range

The full range is on the Little's brand page.

FAQ

Is Little's Creamy Caramel sweetened? The caramel is infused as flavour rather than added as a syrup, and the published ingredient list is freeze-dried coffee and caramel flavouring only. Most people find it drier than they expect.

Does creamy mean it contains milk? The word describes the soft, toffee-like style of the caramel. The published list names none of the 14 major allergens, but anyone avoiding milk should still read the current pack.

How hot should the water be? About 90°C. Leave the kettle for a full minute after it boils so the caramel stays in the cup.

Is it vegan? Little's describes every flavour in its range as vegan-friendly; check the current pack for the latest wording.

Does it contain caffeine? Yes. It is an ordinary caffeinated instant coffee with the flavour infused into the granules.

Curator's note: Make it with a splash of hot milk around four in the afternoon, when the morning jar feels like hard work. Taste before reaching for the sugar; most people find they do not need it. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: Little's Creamy Caramel Instant Coffee: Flavour Without Syrup

Field	Detail
Brand	Little's
Packs we stock	50g
Category	Instant Coffee
Allergens (as published)	None of the fourteen allergens UK labels must highlight is in Little's Creamy Caramel, as published.
Caffeine	caffeinated
Sweetened	No, flavoured only
Best with	A splash of hot milk and a digestive
Occasion	The afternoon cup